There was no open and public process to come to a valuation of a stake or auction to secure the most appropriate partner. A deck prepared by JP Morgan, seen by The Athletic, said FIFA requires “billions” to deepen engagement with fans and claimed the World Cup — referred to as “FIFA” on the deck — had been “under-monetized” when compared to the NFL, NBA and Premier League, particularly given its huge viewing figures. The Infantino relationship with the Kushner family goes back almost a decade, to Trump’s first term in the White House when the U.S. was vying to secure the 2026 World Cup. Jared Kushner ran a White House department named the Office of American Innovation, which became the connecting point for the bid. Trump’s media advisor at the time, Jason Miller, previously sent a text message that described the work as “all Jared.” This included maximizing his burgeoning relationship with Saudi Arabia, with Vanity Fair reporting Kushner asked the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “directly” for his nation’s support as early as the summer of 2017 during a visit to the country, making the same request to the House of Khalifa in Bahrain. Both nations voted for the joint U.S.-Canada-Mexico bid.   submitted by   /u/Sparky-moon [link]   [comments]